Last Action Hero(es)

Schwarzenegger and Stallone were the action heroes I grew up with. Those were the times when explosions and guns ruled the roost and bulging biceps and one-liners carried the day. And nobody did it as good as them. Films like Commando and First Blood were films that made them action icons and they built on that image with a bunch of films that saw them single-handedly take on the world. I loved it!

Then came actors like Ford and Willis who were more average Joes who turned into action heroes only because the situation called for it. They didn't have the muscular physiques of Schwarzenegger and Stallone but made up for it with their never-say-die attitudes, laconic wit and sarcastic smirks. Films like Die Hard and Raiders of the Lost Ark heralded a new breed of action heroes who were, in a sense, more believable - they were heroes rather than superheroes.

Actors like Wesley Snipes could be called the action heroes of the next generation but they never became as big as the aforementioned stars. And special effects and computer graphics have taken centerstage today, effectively pushing out the traditional action hero. But as The Bourne Ultimatum and Live Free or Die Hard, the two most enjoyable action flicks this year showed us, watching chases and explosions and fights created the tradional way is just more fun than watching them being created on a computer.

Which is precisely why I'm looking forward to Rambo and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull this year. Schwarzenegger is busy playing politics and Willis has moved onto more serious roles and it is doubtful if Stallone and Ford will be able to play these characters again. So these 2 films might well be marking the end of an era...